Global Climate and Energy Project celebrates five years of research toward energy solutions

Stanford, California—February 25, 2008—Since being launched five years ago, Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) has advanced the science of high-performance, low-cost solar energy systems; explored novel approaches to enhanced biofuel production; and investigated new strategies for improving battery performance for use in transportation, among many other research activities.

At a special five-year anniversary event, GCEP Director Franklin M. Orr Jr. will present highlights from the project in a lecture titled "GCEP—Research to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions." The talk will be followed by a discussion, led by a panel of distinguished experts in the area of energy research, on the future directions of GCEP. The event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 3, in Room 200 of the Hewlett Teaching Center on the Stanford campus. For more information, go to http://gcep.stanford.edu/events/specialevents.html.

GCEP is a $225 million effort that conducts fundamental research on technologies that could foster the development of global energy systems with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"As GCEP has developed over the past five years, the public has become more aware of the need for energy solutions with low greenhouse gas emissions," Orr said. "This event will allow us to share some of what we have learned over the past five years, while looking at energy research opportunities for the next five years and beyond."

Other events in 2008 planned to recognize five years of GCEP research include a series of lectures by executives from GCEP sponsors and a special session at the GCEP Research Symposium in October devoted to discussing the impact that GCEP has had on university-based research targeted toward developing energy solutions with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

With the support and participation of four international companies—ExxonMobil, General Electric, Schlumberger and Toyota, GCEP is a unique collaboration of the world's energy experts from research institutions and private industry. The project's sponsors will invest a total of $225 million over more than a decade as GCEP explores energy technologies that are efficient, environmentally benign and cost effective when deployed on a large scale.

"During the past five years, GCEP has evolved into a leading example of how universities and commercial organizations can join forces in an effective way to conduct the research needed to address some of the world's greatest challenges," said Kelly Fletcher of General Electric, who is chair of the GCEP Sponsor Management Committee. "This event will be an excellent opportunity to review our experience over the last five years and share some of the results from establishing the project."

GCEP is developing and managing a broad range of innovative energy research programs across disciplines throughout the Stanford campus and at leading institutions around the world. For more information, visit the website.

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